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History

1896

some inhabitants of Chapelle-en-Vercors tried to explored the cave..

World War II

cave entrance used as shelter for a partisan hospital.

27-JUL-1944

hospital discovered by Germans, all .

15 to 16-NOV-2002

enormous floods in the area.

03-DEC-2003

enormous floods in the area.

Description

The Grotte de la Luire is located to the south of the area.
The huge entrance portal with an intermittend spring is known for a very long
time.
It is the location of some prehistoric finds.
The first attempt to explore the cave was made in 1896.
Some inhabitants of Chapelle-en-Vercors tried to enter the cave, but it seems
they were discouraged by rising water.

But the most important, although disreputable, historic event of the cave
happened during World War II.
The cave was used to evacuate the people from the two military hospitals at
Saint-Martin and Tourtre.
The cave has huge chambers and it was considered to be well hidden.
But on the 27-JUL-1944 an airplane saw the flag of the red cross, and a troop
of German Gebirgsjäger was ordered to the cave.
Some of the severely injured patients, a north African and one nurse were shot
immediately inside the cave, the others were imprisoned.
Later two doctors and a Jesuit are shot and seven nursed deported.

The Grotte de la Luire is located in a mountain range south of Grenoble.
This whole mountain range, part of the northern limestone Alps and composed of
limestones and dolomites, is karstified and has numerous huge caves and karst
springs.
The most importante caves are the Grotte Favot, the Grotte de
Bournillion and the Grotte de la Luire.
The most important karst springs of the area are the Source d'Arbois, the
Goule Blance (White Spring) and the Goule Noire (Black Spring) in
the gorge of the Bourne.
All those karst features belong to the Luire-Bournillon-Arbois system.
The valley of the Arbois became rather infamous in the last years with repeated
floods caused by enormous rainfalls.
The karst springs, being very sensitive to changing weather conditions, spilled
enourmous amounts of water, which flooded the valley below.